Closure for vacuum service-inlets.



P. J. MATGHETTE. CLOSURE FOR VACUUM SERVICE INLETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1910.

1,021,203. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

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FRANK J. MATCHETTE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CLOSURE FOR VACUUM SERVICE-INLETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed May 2, 1910. Serial No. 558,889.

had to the accompanying drawin forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to nipples, or service inlets, and closures therefor for vacuum cleaning systems and the like, and the objects of the invention are to provide a simple, cheap and eflicient closure for the standpipe nipples, or service inlets, of vacuum cleaning systems.

It is customary in vacuum cleaning plants to provide a building with metallic pipes in communication with the vacuum producing apparatus and which lead to the different floors of the building and to different parts of the building, so that the vacuum cleaning tools can be readily connected with conveniently located nipples, or service inlets, in communication with said metallic pipes, the connection between the cleaning tool or tools and the nipples being made by means of a flexible hose in the Well known manner. The difliculty heretofore experienced has been to provide a simple, cheap, neat and efficient closure for such a nipple when the flexible hose is not connected thereto, to seal the vacuum system and pipes and prevent air from entering the system and pipes through nipples to which hose and cleaning tools are not connected. A. valve of any suitable construction which would not be affected by dust and dirt would serve the purpose admirably except for the difliculty of making such a valve and except for the time consumed in opening and closing a valve and for the very practical reason that the available space is usually limited, and it is very desirable that no valve or equivalent structure projects into an apartment or room.

This invention provides a neat, simple and eflicient closure for the nipples of vacuum cleaning systems which is thoroughly reliable in sealing the nipples against the entrance of air, which is simple and cheap in construction and may if desired be made ornamental in appearance, though this feature is of no great importance, as the closure is ordinarily concealed within a closed wall recess when not in use, as shown in the copending application of Frank \V. Van Ness, Ser. No. 558,810, filed May 2, 1910.

Referring to the drawings which accompany this specification and form a part thereof, on which drawings the same reference characters are used. to designate the same elements wherever they may appear in each of the several views, and which drawings disclose an embodiment of this invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of a nipple and closure therefor; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the nipple and closure united, taken on a line a-a, Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 3 is a transverse cross section of the closure taken on the line bb, Fig. 2, showing the end of the nipple in elevation.

Referring specifically to the drawings,the reference numeral 1 designates a nipple provided with screwthreads at one end to enable it to be coupled to a pipe so as to make communication between the nipple and the vacuum system, and the nipple is provided with a circumferentially recessed part 2, with which communicate longitudinal recesses 3 and 4, as clearly shown by the drawings. The nipple is preferably made up of cylindrical parts except the hexagonal or other form of polygonal head 5, to which a wrench is intended to be applied to couple the nipple with a pipe of the vacuum cleaning system, and except for the upstanding lugs 6 and 7 between which recesses 3 and 4 are located. The outer surfaces of lugs 6 and 7 are preferably of cylindrical contour and they are each provided with shoulders or projections 8 and 9 and 10 and 11 respectively, by which recesses 12 and 13 are formed in lugs 6 and 7 This specific construction just described of lugs 6 and 7, shoulders 8, 9, 10 and 11 and recesses 12 and 13 in combination with recesses 3 and 4: and circumferential recess 2 form one member of a coupling for the attachment of a flexible hose the coacting member of the coupling being secured to the hose and not shown by the drawings.

The numeral 14 designates a cover or closure of generally cylindrical contour, which is adapted to slip over the exterior of nipple 1, as clearly shown by Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and which is made with an interior diameter about equal to the exterior diameter of nipple 1 which it is adapted to slip over, so that no excessive play will exist between the closure or cover 14 and the nipple 1. The cover or closure 14 is a member having an open end and a closed end and inside of it is secured a packing member or washer 15 which is preferably held against its closed end by means of a metallic washer 16 and a rivet 17 which is provided with a shoulder 18, so that the head l9'of the rivet does not contact with the end of closure 14, whereby space is provided for a chain 20 to be secured, to the closure. The other end of the chain 20 is secured to a ring 21 which is retained in a groove 22 in nipple 1 so as to prevent endwise movement of said ring with respect to said nipple, but to permit it to be rotated on said nipple. When a vacuum exists in the system, the closure 14 will seal .the nipple 1, so that air cannot enter said nipple, on account of the pressure of the air outside of said closure 14 pressing it and washer 15 firmly against the end of the nipple, as

scribed to coact-with depressions'or internalprojections 28 and 24 on cap or closure 14, so as to prevent the accidental displacement of said closure from nipple l.

Preferably the closure 14 is made of sheet metal and the projections on the interior thereof are made by depressing the metal and said depressions are made of such length that they will readily pass between project-ions 6 and 7 and are so placed with respect to washer .15 and the closed end of the closure 14 that they will pass behind shoulders 8 and 11 when closure 14 is rotated and preferably the depressions 28 and 24 are inclined as shown, so that washer 15 may be clamped tightly against the end of nipple l. i

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with the service inlet of a vacuum cleaning system provided with lugs and recesses to comprise one member of a pipe coupling, of a closure therefor consisting of a member having one end open and its other end closed, said closure being provided with a packing member inside thereof, adapted to seat against the end of said inlet, and with internal projections on the interior thereof to coact with the lugs on said service inlet to prevent displacement of said closure when the pressures on opposite sides of the closed end thereof are equalized, said closure being adapted to be slipped over the end of the service inlet to seal said inlet and to be more effective as a seal the greater the difference between the pressures on the opposite sides of the closed end thereof.

2. The combination with the service inlet of a vacuum cleaning system provided with lugs and recesses to comprise one member of a pipe coupling, of a closure therefor consisting of a member having one end open and its other end closed, said closure being I provided with a packing member inside thereof, adapted to seat against the end of said inlet, and with inclined internal projections on the interior thereof to coact wit-h the lugs on said service inlet to prevent displacement of said closure when the pressures on the opposite sides of the closed end thereof are equalized, said closure being adapted to be slipped over the end of the service inlet to seal said inlet and to be more effective as a seal the greater the difference between the pressures on the opposite sides of the closed end thereof.

3. The combination with the service inlet of a vacuum cleaning system provided with the upstanding lugs 6 and 7 and longitudinal recesses 3 and 4 located between said lugs, the outer surface of said lugs 6 and 7 being of cylindrical contour and said lugs being provided with the projections 8 and 9 and 10 and 11 respectively between which projections are recesses 12 and 13 respectively in lugs 6 and 7, of a closure for said service inlet consisting of a member having one end open and its other end closed and a" packing member inside of said closure adapted to seat against the end of said inlet, the said closure being provided with internal projections on the interior thereof disposed at an angle as shown and described, the said closure being adapted to be slipped over the end of the service inlet with the projections on the interior thereof passing between the lugs 6 and 7 and adapted to be partially rotated to bring the project-ions on the interior thereof against the aforesaid projections on the said lugs to prevent accidental displacement of said closure.

In witness whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence'of two witnesses.

FRANK J. MATCHETTE.

itnesses CHAs. L. Gross, FRANK E. DENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

